This year, Deutsche Post DHL Group celebrated 10 years of its Global Volunteer Day, the Group’s global initiative aimed at promoting the benefits of donating time and efforts to charitable projects that range from helping the environment and decreasing the emission of CO₂ and its effects, to spreading awareness of different social causes and the care for children and their future.

DHL employees from each one of the Group’s divisions – DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding, DHL Supply Chain and DHL eCommerce, are encouraged to help those in need, such as young people in socially disadvantaged situations. Last year alone, more than 100,000 employees around the world gave approx. 400,000 hours of their time to nearly 3,000 such projects. In doing so, GVD makes a real and lasting contribution – one that benefits employees and society alike.

This year in the U.S., almost 2,000 DHL employees donated more than 3,000 hours of their free time outside work in volunteering activities. Corporate Responsibility is a fundamental component of DHL’s strategy through the “Living Responsibility” program in the 220 countries and territories where it is present. This program focuses on environmental protection (GoGreen), the management of help in the face of natural catastrophes (GoHelp), and the promotion of education and employability (GoTeach).

Employees are free to choose the local projects they support.  Following the Group’s GoGreen efforts, DHL volunteers planted almost 2,000 trees in the country this year. By the Mississippi River Valley, 700 trees were planted following a donation by DHL Express, who also recruited more than 60 volunteers in the New York area to plant 530 trees. More than 50 volunteers from DHL eCommerce donated more than 150 hours to help feed communities around the country, while about 30 volunteers from DHL Global Forwarding helped build kitchens and baths in Atlanta and planted 20 trees in Newark, New Jersey. In September, volunteers from DHL Supply Chain enhanced their ongoing partnership with The Ohio State University by donating trees and carbon offsets to the University. DHL associates and 20 potential college recruits planted 30 trees on the university’s campus. DHL and Ohio State also purchased carbon credits to offset 2,000 metric tons of CO₂ – equivalent to removing 400 passenger vehicles off the road for one year.  

According to one student, “After attending the tree planting event, I know DHL is not just saying sustainable development or posting articles online. I, as volunteer, planted trees with DHL to protect our environment, which made me think that DHL can make their goal and their mission come true. And I really want to become one of their team members.”